Eid 2017: Visuals for history

SRINAGAR: After a month long fasting with longest days of the season, the Eid marked the conclusion of Ramzan. But the disruptions owing to volatile situation led to low-key celebrations.

DPS main building after the operation was over. KL Image: Mehraj Bhat

A day ahead of Eid, a militant attack took place outside the DPS Athwajan. After killing a CRPF man, the militants barged into the DPS that marked the beginning of another tension. This had a huge impact on the situation especially the movement remain curtailed in half of Kashmir towards Srinagar. The operation was over on the eve of Eid when the State Police Chief S P Vaid said the two militants were killed. Nobody knows their identity. Three soldiers were injured by the grenade splinters that their colleagues used to clear the school.

Big business did not report any big business. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

Though Eid, in this part of the Muslim world, has historically remained Hajoom-e-Mumineen, a crowd of the faithful, but the people still needs some celebrations. There were thick crowds in business streets during the morning and later in the evening. But big businesses did little business. Most of the small business was done by the vendors who put up shops on roads and take their malls home in the evening.

It is prayer time in Eidgah. CRPF is ready and alert. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

There were kids and women. Most of the business, however, took place within the Mohalla shops. And most of it was the routine mutton, bakery, poultry and vegetable.

Kashmiri Youth throwing stones at paramilitary soldiers and Police after Eid-Ul-Filter prayers at Kashmiri Main Eidgah in Downtown Srinagar on Monday. Paramilitary soldiers and police used tear gas shells and pellets to disperse the protesters .KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

Authorities had refused permission to the two major Eid congregations, one each at TRC grounds and Radpora. They, however, permitted the main gathering at Eidgah but did not permit Mirwaiz Umer Farooq to make the speech. The tech-savvy cleric, however, used his cell phone to make a brief speech. But well before that the ragda palton had descended on Eidgah. They engaged police and CRPF men for a routine clash for some time.

This is how it looks when riot control projectiles land amid chase. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

They eventually left for home after the CRPF gave them a hot chase.

And this what happens when it bursts. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

But the clashes were not restricted to Srinagar alone. There were protests almost everywhere. From Shopian to Sopore, there were protests which eventually had a bit of clashes. In south Kashmir Islamabad, the clashes continued for more time than other towns. Qazi Yasir, who led the prayers, in one of the Eidgah’s was seen carrying the poster of rebels. There were instances of young men actually trying to stop police cars.

Curtain fell on the Eid 2017 with a dose of cracker bursting that followed the tear smoke shells. Interestingly, however, Kashmir was boom boom with tear smoke shells making their noise in hyper sensitive areas and the crackers dominating the less sensitive belts.

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Kashmir Life was launched in 2009 as a weekly with an avowed objective to create a world class news product for Kashmir and about Kashmir. Given the changes in the news market in which the larger events becomes crunchy bites on TV or snippets to suit a reader-in-hurry, we practice an exhaustive, in-depth and narrative form of journalism on issues concerning various facets of life in Kashmir.